


Missing your smile

by sarcasticcherry



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha Eren Yeager, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Attempted Sexual Assault, Bonding, Childhood Friends, Dancer Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), M/M, Miscarriage, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Omega Verse, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, losing alpha, losing bond, not a lot of smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2020-09-06 15:17:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 13,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20293618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcasticcherry/pseuds/sarcasticcherry
Summary: Levi and Eren were childhood best friends from opposite dynamics. They would spend all free time together, dragging their parents along. Everything changed once the little raven told Eren about being forced to leave.Years later, Levi turned out to be the first omega, that became an actor. They were finally able to meet up again, but... something was different.





	1. I.

"Okay, kids, I present to you your new friend Eren. Please be kind to him." The tutor of one of the kindergarten classes spoke up after bringing a small boy to the class.

"Hi, Eren." The kids spoke in chorus as one and continued minding their own business.

Even when the brunet was a young alpha, he had a very nervous smile on his face, his skin sweating lightly. What kid wouldn't be anxious to step into the classroom full of kids, who were already getting along for a year? They didn't seem to be interested in bringing a young alpha into the friend circle. But the tutor couldn't blame the kids – they weren't mocking the newbie.

"Miss Ackerman, I want to see mommy... where's my mommy?" Eren turned around to face the adult, looking up with his big glassy eyes.

"She's at work, dear, she will come in the evening." Miss Ackerman spoke softly and knelt to be with Eren in the same eye level. "Your daddy said you're alpha. Sooner or later, they will really start liking you and you will get along. You don't need to worry that much."

"No, I want to go home! I don't like this place!" he started sobbing and closing eyes tightly. His smile disappeared and he couldn't fake it anymore. He didn't know what alpha is, so he didn't understand, why the teacher even mentioned it.

"Shh... Eren... come with me." a woman wiped the boy's tears away and stood up after taking his hand. "Do you like drawing? Let's go to draw."

Eren nodded while sniffing and held into the tutor's hand tightly as she led him to the small table by the bookshelves. Miss Ackerman made him sit down and knelt to get the box from under the table. It was full of colourful markers, pencils, chalk. Everything what a kid would need for their art.

"Could you draw me your favourite animal, Eren?" the woman stroked Eren's back while he picked up the pencil, still sniffing and trying to not think about his parents which he missed already.

"Uhuh..." the boy wiped the tears with his sleeve and started drawing a dog sitting next to the flowers. Miss Ackerman praised Eren for beautiful art so far, so the brunet smiled shyly and continued drawing, the tension dropping down after feeling the woman's scent. He didn't feel how the woman left silently to take care of other kids.

"Nice drawing." Eren heard a silent voice behind.

When he turned around, he didn't see anything at first but when he looked down, there was a small ravenette with a cat plushie in his hands, staring at the drawing. For how long he was staying here already?

"Thank you..." Eren replied. "Do you like it? I tried to draw German Shepherd."

"I like it." The smaller boy climbed up on the chair next to the brunet and put his hands on the table.

Eren smiled and continued drawing, something glancing at the boy who curiously watched him. The brunet's thoughts sometimes came back to the scent he felt by staying next to the teacher. It wasn't a perfume, but something more. It made him calm down and feel safe instantly, quicker than his mother could do.

Most of the teachers in elementary schools and kindergartens were omegas and some of the other workers around being betas. The scientific researched confirmed years ago that the kids are feeling safer around omegas and tend to listen to them even more than alphas, ironically. Kuchel was no exception. As an omega and a good mother in general, she was talented at teaching kids and calming them down, so she had a good workplace in more luxurious kindergarten. Her son, who was now just staring at Eren drawing a dog, was just like her. Most of the time omega kids weren't allowed in luxurious private kindergartens, but, since his mother was working here and having positive reviews, he was able to stay there instead of public kindergartens or private babysitter.

Eren didn't know about all this social diversity just like most of his kids in his age. And he wouldn't care. The only thing he heard related to it, is his father in one evening telling him, that he will be successful and praised for being alpha.

"I think, that if you were a dog, you would be this one." Levi commented and when he saw Eren turning his eyes at him, the ravenette covered his face with hands and giggled shyly. Eren smiled and nodded in agreement.

"And you would be this flower." The young artist pointed at the pink flower drawn next to the dog.

"No! I would be black dog just like yours. I'm not a flower." Levi peeked and pouted, but he wasn't mad. Maybe being a flower wouldn't be that bad.

"Or better – a black dog with a flower crown." Eren grinned as Levi quickly shook his head up and down in agreement. "Do you want to be friends? Dog friends? I'm Eren."

"I'm Levi."

It was soon obvious, that two lonely small souls finally found each other. For the rest of the day they were completely unseparated. Ignoring most of the meaner kids (especially the one which Eren called a horse for crawling on the carpet and pretending to be one), both were playing together, holding hands when they had to go to the music class and get lunch. Luckily, it helped the brunet to not feel homesick and instead focus on the activities.

They were young and pure. They didn't even know, that the society they were living in was divided to three groups, dividing people using their genetics, which could have changed their social status. But kids didn't care about it. But adults were different.

When Carla came to pick up her boy in the evening, she was surprised to see her son so into the games with the ravenette that he refused stubbornly to go back home.

"Come on, Eren, your mommy really missed you and wants you to go home with her." Kuchel knelt down in front of Eren who was already tearing up. Poor boy had so much fun here. "You will come back here tomorrow. You will be able to play again. If you will be a good boy, we will go to the sea museum."

" Okay!" Eren wiped his tears away, walked to his mother and waved at Levi. "Bye bye, Lee, we will meet tomorrow!"

The other boy waved back in response and walked closer to his mother. He kept eyes on the Jäeger boy until he and Carla disappeared behind the doors.


	2. Chapter 2

“Why are people divided to three groups?” Eren asked the next day as he and the rest of the kindergarten group were walking together to the sea museum. The weather was beautiful, so they didn’t take a ride by bus. The kids needed to go in pairs, holding each other’s hands, but Levi walked holding into his mother’s palm, while Eren held into her other hand.  
“You should better ask your parents, sweetie.” The tutor replied with a small smile.  
“I asked my dad about it and he said that I need to be older to ask about it.” Eren pouted.  
“Maybe your daddy is right, maybe you’re too young.”  
“Oh, come on, miss Ackerman, everyone by my age knows about it~” the small brunet walked in front a little bit and stopped in front of Kuchel, looking up and giving her puppy eyes.  
The teacher sighed and felt defeated by the boy’s cuteness.  
“Alright, alright. People are divided to three groups – alphas, betas and omegas – by the differences of their genetics… err like things they are different from each other with things they are born with."  
“What do you mean, Miss Ackerman?”  
“Most people are the middle ones - betas. A very long time ago all people were betas - quite average, with their strong and weak sides. But then, around a hundred years ago something changed and suddenly some of the people started to get different from the majority – they were called alphas and omegas and the average people got a name of beta.”  
“And what’s the difference between them, Miss Ackerman?” Eren walked a bit faster on his small feet and looked up to face the woman. They didn’t even notice how more of the kids walked closer to listen to what their teacher is saying.  
“Alphas are smarter, stronger than average people, better at sports, so they get higher professions. Also, they are way braver and riskier. Omegas are way softer and smaller, having a kind side.”  
“So Levi is also alpha?” the brunet asked, looking at his friend, who was walking silently and kicking stones while still holding tightly into Kuchel’s palm.  
“No, he’s omega, just like me.”  
“What? But… no, it’s impossible, he’s stronger and smarter than I am.” Eren protested, feeling shocked. Levi was indeed very clever and strong, even as a small kid and most of the people thought that he surely is an alpha.  
“There can be some exceptions, like there is with him. I’m just telling you the traits you would notice in most of those two kinds of people.” Kuchel shrugged and stopped looking around so they could all cross the road safely, having a bit of a struggle telling a small kid about such a sensitive and difficult topic. “Also, if omega loves alpha very much, they can bond stronger than the marriage is and then the omega can have a baby, no matter the gender.”  
“Wow, so Levi can have a baby?”  
“Yes, if he will love an alpha very much and will stay with them together forever.”  
“But I never saw any guys having babies in the stomach or looking omega-like.”  
“Because omegas are way rarer than alphas and betas combined, sweetie.” Kuchel glanced back to see if the kids are sticking together and then started to cross the road. “and there is way less boy omegas than girl omegas.”  
“Did you hear that, Lee? You are special!” Eren exclaimed with a big grin on his face, looking at his ravenette friend, who just looked down and dragged his mother forwards to get out of the road quicker. “Wait. Miss Ackerman, if you are omega and you have a child… you bonded! You have your fated alpha, right?”  
Kuchel’s face dropped completely. This time, she didn’t say anything more and just held her son’s hand tighter, looking forward, making Eren feel confused. Did he say something wrong?  
Even when they went to the sea museum and got an entrance ticket to the dolphin performance, Eren still couldn’t get his thoughts off from the new things about society he heard. So, if alphas need to be the ones who are smarter and stronger than the average beta… should omega be weaker and dumber? No, it can’t be. The teacher seems to be very wise-minded, and Levi already reads and writes almost without any problem, while kids, all of them being either alphas or betas in their kindergarten group, still struggle with it.  
“Are you still thinking about what my mommy said?” Levi asked as they were watching the dolphins swimming around and playing before the performance, which they need to watch upstairs. They were in the lower floor, so the thick glass of dolphin’s aquarium was covering all the wall.  
“Yeah, I still don’t get it about most of the things, but maybe she’s right – I’m too young to understand. But my daddy is a famous doctor, I’m sure, that one day he will explain everything to me.” The brunet sighed sadly as he watched the dolphin stopping in front of them, shaking its head and wiggling tail before the other dolphin would join it. “Lee?”  
“Ye?” the ravenette turned his eyes from the curious dolphin to Eren.  
“I think you are very smart and strong omega.”  
Levi just tilted his head due to hearing this kind of a thing out of nowhere. How could he react otherwise?  
“Come on, boys, the show will start soon, don’t get lost.” Kuchel informed as she waited for both boys hold their hands again and run towards the stairs, where other kids were already climbing up on.  
The thing that all the kids enjoyed was the performance of these smart marine animals. Eren was so fascinated by how the dolphins were listening to the trainer’s command, how they would jump, roll around, carry the working man on its back. ‘His work must be fun.’ The boy thought, seeing the worker from far, who was smiling widely with whistle in his mouth and throwing fish to his animal companions. Of course, his father might not allow him to be the trainer – he wants his son to be a doctor. Maybe being a veterinarian would still be fun, right? His thoughts were interrupted after all kids and their teacher got splashed by one dolphin, swimming fast right near the edge of the glass. The kids squealed and laughed, starting to clap with their tiny hands. The only one who was silent was the teacher’s kid.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey. I've got a very nice feedback about this story from different platforms. I definitely still stick up with a slow pace and worldbuilding, but I hope you won't mind it, I just want to write what I enjoy. Also, sorry if I make child!Eren too OOC, I never learnt even how to RP as him, haha. I will do a timeskip soon. If you enjoy the story, don't forget to leave a comment. It's the biggest motivation for me :)

The day went even quicker for Eren than the previous one. His mother went to pick him up by car and started driving back towards their home. Carla was glad to see how her boy was so enthusiastic about today. While they were stuck in the traffic, he told his mother about the trip to the sea museum, how he saw the dolphin show, turtles, clown fish that looked like Nemo.  
“I'm glad, that you loved the trip, Eren.” Carla ruffled the boy's hair as they finally started driving through the street again.  
“Miss Ackerman said, that we will go to the zoo next week if we will be good and she mentioned, that you could come to talk to her after you come after work.”  
“Oh?”  
“Yeah. Please- I want to play with Leelee more, we didn't finish our family story.”  
“Family story?”  
“Ye. So, do you agree? Pretty please? Beautifully please?”  
“I will see if I can do that.” Carla sighed and held the car wheel tighter as they drove to their home street. When she saw that the windows of their house are dark, she frowned, parked the car and looked at her son. “Your father will be late again.”  
Eren noticed his mother's expression and blinked, feeling his heart beating fast, when she didn't even try to fake her smile. It's a bad sign... nothing is worse than seeing a cheerful person with a heartbroken gaze to nowhere. Why was she sad when they were mentioning his daddy? Did he hurt her? Or maybe she is just upset, that he’s staying late at work again.   
“Eren, baby, go to change and feed Shin.” Carla said when they went to their house and turned on the light in the corridor.   
The boy nodded quickly, took his shoes off, handed his scarf and jacket for Carla to hang it up and walked towards the stairs but before he would go up, he stopped, holding into handrails with his small hand.  
“Mommy, will you need help?”   
“Don’t worry. If I’ll need something, I’ll call you.” Carla smiled faintly while putting the coat on the hanger, then looking for her slippers.  
“Okay…” Eren ran upstairs towards his room. Then he opened the door, turned on the light.   
Shin was his pet rat, a dark brown one with a tiny white dot on its forehead. Eren walked straight towards its cage and took some food from the bag for his pet. Shin, who was drinking water, looked at Eren’s direction and stood on its back feet, sniffing and moving its whiskers.  
“Hey, Shin-shin…” the brunet smiled, opened the doors of the cage and put the food in the small bowl, but Shin, instead of starting to eat, just got out of the cage and climbed on Eren’s hand, moving towards his shoulder and sniffing around, making the boy chuckle.   
Eren’s parents believed, that letting the boy have a pet from the early age will make Eren to have a very good impact on his behaviour – he must need to be very gentle, understanding and caring, especially if their boy will end up bonding with omega as an adult, since omegas are sensitive and are in need of warmth and patience. And it seemed to be working.   
“Not hungry, eh?” the boy turned his head to face Shin, which sniffed his nose and licked it a few times before climbing on his head. “Aww… you missed me. Mommy is upset for some reason, I’m very worried.” He stood up carefully and walked near his small bed to climb on it and lay down on his stomach. Then he put the rat on the sheets and looked at it. “do you have any idea what happened? Maybe she just misses daddy. He’s getting so busy these days. I don’t want to be a doctor like him…if I have a family, I want to have time to be with it, not spend a whole night in the hospital. But I don’t know if daddy will be fine with my decision. Do you agree?” he stared at the wall for some time, feeling how his pet now climbed on his back and just walked around. “It must be hard for you to stay in the cage for a whole day, you would also want to do some other things, don’t you? Hmm… I wonder about Levi… we could exchange the places and he could rather be a doctor. Holy muffins, everything is so hard…”   
Eren spent his time literally talking to himself rather than with his rat and he didn’t even hear the back doors being slammed and his father being back from the work. He realised, that Grisha came back only when Eren was planning to check on his mother to see what she is up to and if she forgot to ask for his help. But seems, that their parents had quite a… heated up conversation. Eren walked out of his room on tiptoes, carrying Shin on his shoulder. Then slowly sat down on the floor near the stairs and peeked to listen. He saw both parents standing downstairs by the doors to the bathroom.   
“What do you mean 'he's friends with omega'?” The man talked, his voice sounding angrier rather than upset.   
“Grisha, I’m telling you again, they are just kids, what’s wrong with that?” the woman asked, her usual soft voice being changed to annoyed one.   
“What’s wrong with that? Carla, you know how the bonding works!” Grisha shouted, making Eren flinch.  
“Be more silent, Grisha. I know about bonding, so what? Look, how happy he is. He keeps talking about how he loves going to kindergarten and you already want to steal his happiness?”  
“For god’s sake, are you listening? I’m repeating – b-o-n-d-i-n-g. And it happens even around friends. Do you want your son to be sticking up with a random omega in a luxurious kindergarten?”   
“Yet you want Eren to be depressed after you force him to change a kindergarten again and lose the last hope on making friends? Can you stop thinking only about yourself? Maybe you would finally like to tell me why you were so late to come, Grisha?”  
“For fuck’s sake, I told you I was working!” the man shouted, making Eren squeal and cover his mouth. Both adults heard that and looked up, seeing their poor boy standing up quickly with tiny hands still covering his mouth and running back to his room, slamming the doors behind.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm getting such a nice feedback for this fanfiction, people are so nice. :smile: I enjoy writing it as an easy story, comparing to my personal oc novels and also writing in English instead of my mother language. I might illustrate some scenes from this story. Thank you for reading, comments do inspire me!

“Oh, so you are Eren’s mother? Nice to meet you, Carla.” Kuchel said as the other woman came to the kindergarten the next day after work. Their kids were playing on the big carpet nearby, laying down on their stomachs and moving the toys around in the doll house, pretending to make a story about family.   
“Sit down, your boy insisted to ask me if you would stay here until they finish their story.” Kuchel pointed at both boys and when Carla agreed on staying for a bit, the teacher went to turn on the kettle. “Did something happen to you?”   
“With men…” Miss Jaeger sighed tiredly and sat down on the couch that was in front of the teacher’s desk.   
“You can tell me about it.”   
At first, Miss Jaeger hesitated, but then thought, that maybe it is better to let your heart out to a stranger, to another woman, who could understand her situation instead of judging.  
“It’s related to your son.” Carla said, waiting for the teacher’s reaction, but Kuchel just took a pill, drank it without using water and came to sit by the desk in front of another woman, putting two cups.   
“Does he know about my son something she shouldn’t know?” Kuchel tilted her head and glanced at Levi, who was now searching for something in the boxes.   
“No, no, that’s not what I meant.” Carla smiled nervously and scratched her chin. First time having a proper conversation with the son’s tutor and she’s already giving a bad impression. “I mentioned him, that our son finally got a friend who is omega, and now Grisha is going nuts after that. And the fact, that he doesn’t come home often…”  
“Grisha… Grisha? Grisha Jaeger?” Kuchel rested her chin on her palm and blinked, more surprised by the man’s name than his views on omegas. “That doctor in Shiganshina’s hospital?”  
“Yes. So, you know him?” the other woman stared at the tutor cautiously.   
“As a doctor, I do. He’s taking care of me and my relatives. Honestly, he’s a very nice man.” Kuchel talked and put a small amount of honey in her tea. “It seems that he’s hardworking and tells many nice words about his family, how he’s worried about it and keeps asking for suggestions for good family vacations.”  
“Really?”  
“Yes. He truly loves you and don’t even think about him cheating. And I hope that his views on our kids being close friends will change.”  
“Thank you…” Carla smiled warmly, feeling as if a heavy rock just fell off her heart.  
“Moooommyyy!” Eren suddenly stormed to his mother, crying loudly and climbing on her lap, then clinging to her mother’s chest.   
“Baby, what’s wrong?” Carla hugged her boy and stroked her hair. She thought that Levi hurt him, but the ravenette seemed to be laying down on his stomach, giving a confused yet calm expression at them.  
“Levi made his Titan eat Ilse!” Eren exclaimed.  
“Because Ilse was mean, it’s not my fault!” Levi started sobbing too, holding the tiger figurine in his arms tightly.   
“Lee, they were married, and you shouldn’t eat your wife just because she refused to go to sleep!” the brunet didn’t stop crying.   
“Oh dear… come on, you can just restart a story.” Kuchel spoke up and tried not to laugh, feeling bad about it.   
Levi rubbed his eye, sniffed, stood up and walked to Eren with arms opened widely, but Eren was burying his face in his mother’s neck, so he couldn’t see what was going on.   
“Sowwyyyyy.” Levi pouted and hugged the boy tightly from behind. “Ilse will be alive again and they will be a happy couple. I’m very sowwy.” He rubbed his cheek into Eren’s back.  
“No!” the other shouted stubbornly and didn’t look at the small omega, making him even sadder.  
“Come on, Eren, Levi apologized to you. Do you want your friend to have his little heart aching?” Carla talked a bit stricter.   
Eren sniffed, rubbed his both eyes and looked behind to see Levi. “I’m sorry too…”  
“Did you forgive me, Eren?” Levi kept hugging the other tightly.   
“Yes… let’s go…” Eren got off his mother and soon the boys returned to their playground already giggling as if nothing happened.   
“Kids.” Kuchel commented and sipped her tea. “It’s hard to take care of them, yet the world without them would be boring.”  
“Indeed.” The other adult agreed and watched their boys, still thinking about what Kuchel mentioned about her husband.   
They spent so much more time than they expected. Both women quickly found familiar topics to talk about, one time or another having laughs and intense discussions. Their sons were happy about it as they had more time to play together without a noises that the other kids would make during daytime and knew that if their mothers would actually become friends or even a good ones, they would have a chance to meet up more often, maybe even go to the trips together as two little families.   
“We need to come home now, Eren didn’t eat for too long.” Carla spoke up after a few hours of talking. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Kuchel.”  
“Thank you. Come next time to hangout if you want.” The tutor smiled and stood up too.   
“I will.”  
They noticed that their sons were silent and when they came to check on them, they were asleep. Carla let out a silent ‘aww’ and couldn’t help but take a picture of them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i will continue this story. i just realized that i wrote this chapter months ago, so i'm posting it. i know that the story is crappy, but i will add more descriptions and body language once i start editing this story. have a great day. :)

The time was running fast. The years of kindergarten were slowly replaced with elementary school, and the elementary school turned to 5th grade. Both boys, that were best friends since early kindergarten days and now were still sticking together, so as their mothers, who would often hangout, go shopping together and even have a little trips to the reserves, that were located near the city. Mr. Jaeger joined them sometimes when they had picnic on the beach, but he would mostly be absent. Kuchel, on the other hand, wasn’t feeling so anxious about her husband being away so often – she was now focusing on her son’s But it was the time, when one Sunday morning, when Kuchel was staying home and cooking and Eren had a sleepover at their place, Levi ran to the kitchen crying and covering his crotch with both hands.   
“Baby, what’s wrong?” Kuchel put the knife down and bent in front of her son.   
“My… my butt is leaking!” poor boy shouted. “Am I dying?!”   
The woman stared at him for a bit. Wet pants, red face, sweat, that was sending a soft scent…   
“No, no, it’s natural. It just started… too soon…”   
“Started what?!”   
“Your heat. Don’t worry, I have it too.”  
“I never saw you leaking like I do now!”   
“I use medicine. Shh…” the woman quickly went to search for the pills, before she could ask doctors for injections – Levi was too young to start suffering heat. Mostly people started having it from age twelve or fourteen, but Levi was only ten. Alphas could only start maturing from age sixteen, so there wasn’t any danger to be around his classmates, but it was risky to let him out to the street without suppressants – as a child, he couldn’t defend himself from non-bonded matured alphas, who could get lured by small omega’s sweet untouched scent, no matter how young the omega was. A thought of a ten-year-old being impregnated by an alpha in his 40s and impregnated in general seemed disgusting.   
“What happened?” Eren walked into the kitchen, rubbing his sleepy eyes, but then froze as soon as he saw his best friend shivering and tearing up. “Levi?!”  
“Don’t shout, Eren. Levi got in his first heat, I told you about it. Could you bring clean clothes? It’s in his closet.”  
“Yes, miss!” the alpha ran back to Levi’s room.  
Levi kept sniffing and looking down. He was clinging into his mother with his chest, still covering his wet pants with hands, feeling drowsy from the heat. When Eren came back with spare pyjamas, Kuchel took it, lead the omega boy to the bathroom and helped him change, also putting the pad in his underwear that would not let his pants get wet.   
“I will go to the doctor now; he should give recipe for injection.” The adult explained as she helped Levi to wash his hands. When she saw Eren following them and standing in front of the doors, she added. “Eren, I will try to do everything as quick as I can, I’m leaving you two, make him some tea and keep him warm.”  
“Yes, ma’am.” The alpha nodded quickly and saluted before running back to the room to drag the blanket from his friend’s bedroom.   
Without waiting more, the woman left both kids alone in the room, heading to the town.   
“Levi, are you okay?” Eren asked softly as he came back to the bathroom, where he saw Levi the last time. He found omega now curled up behind the toilet in the corner of a room, twitching and humming with tears in his eyes. Eren didn’t know how to approach poor omega, so he just came closer, at least not being affected by a scent, but he still liked it and reached for his friend closer. “You smell very good, Levi...”  
“Get away from me!” as Levi’s instinct of defending himself kicked in, he suddenly kicked Eren into chest.   
The alpha huffed but didn’t go away. As stubborn he was, he moved back to omega, wrapped him in a blanket, got all his strength and somehow carried Levi out. It was hard to hold the omega who kept squirming, but Eren wasn’t planning to leave his best friend to be staying on the floor in the bathroom in such a condition. Levi was wriggling and whining. Eren felt so bad seeing him like this, so he laid down next to him and hugged from behind so he wouldn’t get punched, then closed eyes. The omega didn’t notice how he slowly calmed down and felt sleepy as his alpha friend released calming scent incautiously, which made the ravenette feel completely safe. But it didn’t last long – a sudden sound was heard in the direction of a window and when both boys turned their heads to look, they saw a man, creeping at them, after getting lured there because of the scent. The man even had saliva dripping down off his mouth and tried to open the window, trying it so hard that he even started punching the frame of a window and groaning.   
“He will get in!” the omega started squirming again. He usually was quite and collected but the head was making him more sensitive…  
Eren just held his friend tighter and stared at the man. He knew that he should at least try to cover the window with curtains, but he didn’t want to move from the smaller boy in a single inch. Kuchel informed him about this. Levi could end up being traumatized and never smile again. That was the least what Eren would want to happen for his omega friend.   
Luckily, Ms. Ackerman came back right on time. The pervert, that was trying to break trough the window, was now gone and the woman came back into the building, locked the door behind, holding a box with injections and taser that she just used. She felt her heart aching when she had to see her boy sobbing in fear, while Eren was literally spooning him from behind and rubbing his head against Levi’s cheek, trying to calm Levi down with his scent and soft actions.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas eve everyone

Kuchel got her son off Eren’s grip (with struggles and the brunet being very reluctant of letting go off his omega friend), made him sit on her lap and lean on her chest while she would prepare the injection with suppressants. Even though there wasn’t danger around anymore, she still had her body trembling from such a stressful situation that just happened outside. If she came later, it could have been too late – an intoxicated alpha can break window, even doors so he (or even she) could get inside. After that, the worst thing could happen, which both boys don’t even want to imagine.  
“That man was very creepy…” Eren sighed and stayed close to the woman and stroked Levi’s sweaty hand. “Will he come back, miss? What did you do to him? Why was he so creepy?”  
“Don’t worry, dear,” the woman washed Levi’s shoulder and exposed the needle as the ravenette hid his face in the woman’s collarbone. “I always carry the taser with me, because alphas, that are in close radius of omega in heat, can’t handle their hormones. Next year your biology teacher should teach you about all this thing.”  
Eren nodded slowly, turned his gaze at Levi and furrowed his eyebrows, feeling a wave of anger awakening in his heart. He had no clue if he was angry that his best friend was put in a danger zone or because his young alpha’s instinct awakened… but it’s not possible. They’re not bonded. And Eren is not even sexually ready to respond to the heat.   
“No matter what, even if Lee will end up having heat in front of me when I’m matured to react, I won’t act like that pervert. I’ll take care of him like a true alpha has to do.” He spoke up determined.  
“That’s nice of you, but,” Kuchel was glad, that the conversation was distracting her son and she was able to inject the needle without her boy getting tensed up or whining. “But when you’ll mature and encounter the omega in heat, you will see how pretty impossible it is to resist that scent. But, luckily, you won’t be as aggressive as that pervert.”  
“Really?” Eren looked cautiously. ‘Is it a good thing? Kuchel doesn’t look so happy’, he thought.   
The woman didn’t answer until she finished injecting the suppressants and started stroking Levi’s back.   
“Your mother is beta; your father is alpha. If you have a beta mother, you won’t be so dominant and aggressive as the ones who have an omega mother.”  
“Oh… so that means, that Levi and other omegas will be safer around me than around other alphas?”  
“ In theory, yes.”  
Eren rethought about the woman’s words and started fiddling with his fingers. It’s good, that he could be less aggressive as alpha. But it also means, that he’ll probably won’t be as strong as the others. Alpha’s adrenaline is one of the main things that make them strong and aggressive, making them be able to protect their omegas and now Eren was getting worried, that he probably won’t have such a trait.  
“I wish that this dumb thing with alphas and omegas wouldn’t even exist…”  
“I know, but only omegas and a few alphas feel that way. We can’t change anything, sweetie. The public wants us to stay in the place of society where we belong in their eyes.”  
Not only did these words got stuck in Eren’s mind, but it also touched the poor little omega that was listening to it all along. His mother seemed to be happy with her life even while being omega, but… was it just a mask to hide how cruel the world was for minors? 

That one day came. The day, that kid Eren hated the most. As usually, both Eren and his little omega friend were informed about the meeting right after Christmas. Eren was excited as usual to see Levi. He even made a drawing of both of them as a late Levi’s birthday gift and couldn’t stand in one place as he wanted to meet him as quickly as possible. But once Eren and Carla entered the café where they had to meet up, Eren’s face dropped – Ms. Ackerman was sitting by the table with a sad smile, while Levi staying next to her, his gaze focused down, his eyes and cheeks red as if he was just crying. The women greeted each other with a hug. Unlike his mother, Eren went straight to his little friend and knelt in front of him, ignoring the fact that he was getting his knees dirty and Carla would get mad at him.  
“Lee, what’s wrong?” the brunet boy whispered, feeling his heart ache just by seeing this view. Most of the time Levi would greet him with a warm little beam on his pale face, but now he was just full of melancholy and unexplainable negative aura.  
“We… we won’t meet much anymore.” Levi whispered; his soothing soft voice was now shaking.  
“What? You’re joking, right?” Eren giggled nervously, but as he saw that his friend didn’t seem to be joking, the alpha turned to be serious. “Why? Do you hate me? Did I do something wrong.?”  
“No… it’s not… that. My mom said it’s not safe for us, especially me, here anymore.”  
“How can I help? Please tell me. What does your mom want to do?”  
“To move out. We're going to live in the countryside, because she lost her job.”  
It was true, but Eren knew, that Levi didn't say all the reasons. The boy with teary eyes was hiding something, Eren could tell. And when Levi exposed a big bruise on his skinny arm, Eren was now sure that Ackermans are running away from something else. But it seemed, that the omega is not even planning to tell the reason on why his mother decided to separate them and what kind of bruise was on his arm. The women near them seemed to be talking about the same thing and tearing up as well - so it wasn’t their relationship, that was enduring the hard times and breaking the friendship of two children.   
“We’ll come to visit you occasionally…” Eren whispered and took out the folded paper with the drawing he was hiding neatly in his bag. “Here, I drew it as your birthday and Christmas gift.”  
“Thank you.” Levi took it, sniffed and looked at the drawing. “But why did you draw me smiling so widely?”  
“Because you’ll be smiling a lot in the future. You’ll be so happy… that’s how we will look after meeting up.”  
It made the omega smile slightly, even though his face was still covered with tears of sadness. 

And by that moment, when the boys needed to say their last goodbyes, the smile has never shown up on Levi’s face again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for commenting. I kinda have depression (that I need to cure), but comments and nice words manage to push me forward to write instead of doing nothing. I really appreciate it. SeperationBoundary, you seem to comment on every chapter and I'm impressed. :D  
Also, this chapter was written when I was sober during New Year. Just stating a random fact. :D

Some may say that the time fixes most of the things and it just leads to better things in life, especially for alphas – the older they get, the more opportunities are waiting for them in the future. But not for Eren, definitely. As soon his friend left with his mother and moved far, where Eren’s parents wouldn’t want to come over for a weekend, he couldn’t focus on his studies or his life in general. With help of Grisha, he was finally transferred to the private alpha school, but he needed to face another problem – his puberty kicked in made him have unusual anger issues. What was unusual? He, of course wasn’t mated and he was showing unbelievable aggression towards other alphas, even when there were no omegas in heat nearby or omegas in general. It led him get kicked out off a private school and be transferred to public high school, mostly filled with betas and a few alphas, that Eren would barely even meet around. Even though he made some friends here, like beta Armin and alpha Mikasa (who sometimes acted like a clingy omega but didn’t make Eren interested in her a single bit), he still felt like he missed something.   
Their parents weren’t so happy about Eren getting into simple non-elite school, especially Grisha – when his son was still in elementary school, the doctor would claim to everyone, that his son will be the best doctor of Germany and if not – a judge in Constitutional court. But now, when Eren got older and wasn’t learning in the best school to get into the Technical University of Munich, didn’t seem to want to talk to his son at all and would judge him for any single thing Eren did that the older man didn’t agree with. The only thing, that Grisha didn’t critiqued was when, after finishing high school and getting into army, he decided to stay an extra year or two in there, making them believe, that army will let Eren to cope with his aggression and unpredictable anger issues once he’s tamed by a strict rules.   
During those years, Eren tried to call Levi daily and talk, at least for a few minutes. If not about school or people, then about weather and anything they saw interesting on the internet after school, or just brag about Grisha’s non-supportive behaviour. But having a long-distance friendship had its own flaws – the internet where they could do videocalls often glitched, they ended up having less and less time and motivation to talk, until they stopped contacting each other after a few years completely.   
And even though their minds were focused on the problems they were facing in real life, they still would sometimes think about each other. Sometimes wonder, if they would be happy like in those days years ago. 

If Levi would still greet his alpha friend with a smile that he used to wear every time their eyes met. 

Chapter II.  
Click.   
“Okay, now turn your back at me and smile.”   
Click click.  
“Okay, you look good in these. You look good.”  
“Oh, yes, I like it. Thank you very much, Eren. When will you edit these photos?”  
“In a few days, I’m not so busy these days.”  
“Brilliant, I cannot wait to see them! I’ll send you the payment, when you’ll send the final work, okay?”  
“Sure.”  
Another day, another project, another few hours full of following posing people, that need to be captured in the photos. In all possible professions he could have as an alpha, the guy ended up finishing courses of photography. He was so lost in life but finishing something than anything was better than nothing. Of course, taking photoshoots in winter wasn’t so comfortable, but the thought of getting payed way more than the smallest wage was better, also being his own boss.   
The guy watched his young client leaving the park, covered in snow. He turned the camera off and sighed, exhaling softly trough his mouth and closing his eyes, feeling how a few heavy snowflakes landed straight on his eyelashes. He felt lonelier than ever. He kept meeting his friends occasionally after their studies or jobs, the fact that his father didn’t accepted him as his son didn’t bother Eren too much, but he still… felt lonely. And lost. It looked, like a guy was close to have a depression – he lost passion in photography – his favourite hobby and now a job – and didn’t want to do anything. Every day he kept dragging his feet from bed to go to work, often forgetting to eat, then edit photos after coming back to the flat he was renting and go back to sleep. Nonetheless, he felt like not being noticed enough for his photography skills – people would usually just praise his camera for taking good photos, ignoring the years the photographer spent on practice and classes.   
The guy walked towards the Christmas tree. It was just a few days after Christmas but the city centre still had the stalls with cookies, accessories and hot wine. Eren bought himself a warm drink, inhaled the scent before pressing his lips on the edge of a cup and then drank it. The warmth of a wine that was fulfilling his body made the guy smile slightly and make him enjoy the time alone for once. But not long enough he heard his annoying ringtone ringing in his blueish coat. The brunet groaned lightly, took his glove off with his teeth and took his phone. Mikasa.  
“Hellowh?” he answered the call, while still holding the glove in his teeth and feeling his bare hand stinging from cold already.   
“Where are you?” the woman on another side of a phone spoke up.   
“Ugh… by a Chrwistmas three. Whyf?” He mumbled and held the glove with hand that was holding a cup.   
“Eren, did you forget a premiere?”   
‘Shit. It’s the day Armin acts in one of the biggest theatres. How did I forget about it?’  
Before the brunet could answer, the girl sighed and spoke up again. “I’ll come to pick you up in 15 minutes, go wait me by the mall. It’s strange, how you managed to forget about it. But just pray that Armin wouldn’t realize that.”  
“Okay, I’m coming.” Eren hung up and walked toward the place they had to meet up.   
Mikasa was already waiting for him in black Volvo, honking a few times to grab Eren’s attention, who seemed to be so confused and lost, that he didn’t even notice a vehicle at first.  
“You’re so lost these days. Did you catch cold?” Mikasa asked when Eren got into the car and flopped into the seat, almost spilling his hot wine. She seemed to be showering him with questions as usually.   
“No. Just had a lot of work lately.” Eren mumbled and sipped the drink, while holding the cup with both hands and trying to warm himself up.   
“Oh. Well, if anything happens, just inform me.” She gave him some kind of a paper, wrapped into the tub before starting to drive.   
“What’s that?”   
“Check it. Armin gave the same ones for both of us.”  
Eren unwrapped it with free hand and smiled to himself – it was a poster if the spectacle that Armin was going to spectacle – the one, based on a musical Chicago, but doing it gender bend. Armin got Roxie’s lead but male version, and he looked as a perfect character in the poster. There was a shorter male standing next to Eren’s best friend, also looking like a perfect male version of Velma with tight dark clothes.   
“It looks good, it’s-“ the guy didn’t finish his sentence, once he read the text underneath both posing males in pose: ‘Staring newly rising star Armin Arlert and Levi Ackerman’.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm torturing people with being slow x)

‘Ackerman…Ackerman?’ the brunet felt as if his heart moved so quickly, that it could even jump off his throat. It was more than ten years since he saw that Ackerman family, but he could never forget about them. ‘But… it means, that… Levi became an actor? How? It’s forbidden for omegas to be actors. Maybe that Levi is just a different person with the same name? My Levi would probably do his mother’s job or something easier, right?’ Eren kept overthinking and leant closer to the poster incautiously, staring at the raven-haired actor, standing next to Eren’s friend. ‘Okay, this Levi is short and looking serious. Mine is bubbly and cute… eyes and hair are similar though. This one looks more like small alpha; my Levi would cross his arms and hide his chest without looking at the camera.’  
“Is everything alright?” Mikasa asked as she pulled over and started driving quickly – luckily, the traffic wasn’t that bad now.  
“Do you know anything about this actor?” Eren poked the poster and moved it, so Mikasa could see what he is referring to (even though it’s obvious, that he wouldn’t ask her to explain who Armin is).  
“Oh, that midget?” Mikasa glanced at the poster before moving her gaze forward again. “Didn’t you hear the news about him several months ago?”  
“You do know that I don’t keep up with the news. Like, at all…” Eren mumbled and stared at the poster again.  
“He was the first omega in history who finished actor academy.”  
Eren’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. ‘Now it’s the bigger chance that my Levi is on that poster.’  
“Is it even legal?” the guy asked after a short pause, now seeing more and more cars being parked near the theater – he felt weird how he forgot, how this place must be crowded during premiere.  
“I thought that it wasn’t. but now it’s legal, I guess. Even though I didn’t hear about any other omega actor in the world.” She noticed that Eren was smiling, so she continued talking. “I feel bad for the producer though.”  
“Eh? Why?” Eren wrapped the poster neatly again and looked at the woman with a confused look.  
“Dealing with omega… what role could he even have? The heat can fuck up a whole performance, have drastically changed attitudes if they’re around alphas. I now understand why are, or at least were, omegas forbidden from being actors. They could barely even be the side characters, but now this midget got the main role. That's just a pure way to go against the law.”  
“So what? An alpha performer can also go nuts after sensing the omega in the audience.”  
“Are you trying to defend that omega?”  
“Yes. He's still a human after all. I think he deserved his audition.”  
“I don't understand, Eren.” Mikasa mumbled after parking the car in a small spot near the main road and turned the engine off. “On why you are so defensive if the lower class all of a sudden. Are you… dating an omega and you didn't tell me about it?”  
“Stop it!” Eren felt angrier and opened the doors of a car. “That's not the point. I just care about justice and their rights as humans. And even if I dated one, you're not my mom - I don't need to tell you every detail of my life.”  
Mikasa didn't continue arguing – she knew clearly, that if Eren has an opinion on something, he'll defend it strongly and no one will ever convince him to think otherwise. The girl still wasn’t defending omegas – as a person who had never had omega friends (only her mother, who passed away years ago), she had no clue what kind of life they have in reality without getting information only from the books. For her, it rather seemed that omegas were a burden for alphas, making them go crazy and not be able to concentrate on their job.  
“I’m just worried about you, that’s all.” The female shrugged and moved her hand towards Eren, handling the card with band attached to it, that can be put around the neck.  
“What is that?” Eren ignored Mikasa’s words and looked down at the card with a frown still not leaving his face.  
“VIP access to the backstage, where Armin will be after performance with other actors. Put it on. If you want to take pictures, they’ll let you access the area near the stage where the journalists will take pictures.”  
“Oh, thank you. Mikasa.” The guy held the card tightly and checked if his camera still had enough battery. Eren was never a fan of movies and especially performances in a theater, because many stories were based on the books that he didn’t read and wouldn’t understand the context of the performance without that extra knowledge. He didn’t even want to go there to see the performance based on the movie he never watched but now, as he knew that it’ll be a chance to meet his childhood best friend, who didn’t leave his mind for years after separation… Eren was excited. Maybe it was a chance to feel joy after so many years. And feel a joy over something he didn’t like but could handle it just so he could be able to see his precious person from childhood.  
Once they got inside the building, it was now obvious on why was there so many cars parked outside, some of them even being left on the pavements – it felt as if there were thousands of people in the place, talking loudly to each other, hustling in the crowd, trying to either reach the other side of the first floor where they could leave their coats in the cloakroom or to find the stairs, leading to the main hall. Eren put his coat in the cloakroom and went upstairs with Mikasa by his side. As they had VIP access cards, they were let in without needing to stand in a long line. The guy was feeling awkward - everyone was dressed up with fancy clothes like in some kind of a ball, while he was just wearing jeans and green warm turtleneck sweater.   
“Where are our seats?” Eren stopped to look around, holding the ticket tightly from nervousness.   
“There.” Mikasa took the brunet’s hand and went towards the table not too far from the stage.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentioned songs:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrrz54UtkCc  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_YaxIL8MvM  
You can watch them to imagine the performance scenes better. Also, thank you for commenting and giving me over 100 kudos. You help me feel better in a very rough time in my life. :)

Once they got to sit by our reserved table, Eren kept shifting in his seat and looking around so quickly as if he was paranoid of something. The male alpha was avoiding public gatherings so badly, especially the ones outside his school and now he was in one of them. Once the seats were mostly filled with people, Eren covered his mouth and frowned – the air was filled with mixtures of sweet perfume and different senses, mostly betas and bitter senses of alphas. He could sense omega faintly (and it seemed that the sense wasn’t going from the crowd that was behind).  
“Why hasn’t Jean joined us? I thought he would love to have a date with you in the theatre.” The brunet spoke up, trying to not get anxious (he would really want to know why was it like that, but at this point he couldn’t ask his greedy father for an answer).  
“Hm? He has to finish a commission by tomorrow, so he couldn’t come anyways.”   
“Oh, I can't believe he prioritizes commission over a date with his dream girl~”  
“Stop it, Eren.” she flicked his forehead, making him frown and sigh. “We see each other daily and we had more dates than you ever had.”  
Eren just wrinkled his and looked at his hands. 'Of course, what person would want to date an alpha, who has beta's blood?'  
The photographer's eyes turned to the stage once a whole hall got its lights turned off. A jazzy music has started playing by real musicians. There was only a silhouette in dark bluish lights being seen that kept cursing and pretending to clean hands in the sink; silhouettes of back dancers staying still on the stage. Soon the silhouette rushed to the middle of the stage and started singing “All that jazz”.  
It was male with raven short hair with undercut.  
It was a singer with black tight top, shorts, shiny jewel attached to it, black net stockings and high heels, that were not as seducing as his husky voice and sweet scent.  
It was a dancer with smooth moves, perfect slim body with wide hips and shoulders and light eyes that sparkled in the light.  
Eren stared in awe, even not noticing Armin acting already on one side of a stage. He was focused on the ravenette, looking carefully at every move that the male was making, breathing in that vanilla scent, that would only come from omega. Sometimes their eyes would meet and, even when it would be only for a few moments before the contact would break and the singer’s eyes would be focused somewhere far on the audience, it was still enough for Eren to feel his heart start beating so hard like a vehicle.   
If it was Levi, his Levi… it would be crazy. A shy omega, who turned out to be the first main character of a broadcast, not giving a single reaction to alpha’s who kept an eye on him; it looked like Levi had such control of his nature, as if he was able to escape stereotypes and live like a free person 100 years ago. As if the touch of other dancers and being carried or making splits didn’t make him blush or flinch a single bit. That was something unbelievable, yet it made Eren feel so proud of his childhood friend. He couldn’t help but spread a grin on his face for the entire show, even feeling his cheeks aching from such an intense smiling after wearing a frown for years. He also took some pictures but mainly spent time staring at the actor.   
The thing that the brunet noticed was one of the tall dancers. He was tall, muscular, a stereotypical alpha with a little smirk and neatly brushed blond hair to the back, obvious enough for any person even without having a chance to feel the smell coming from him. He would dance always when Levi would be the one who has a solo or duo with Armin; during “Cell block tango” they even danced tango together when it was Levi’s character’s time to sing about the reason of murderer, even pulled the red ribbon out of alpha’s mouth with his teeth. For the rest of the show, Eren was wondering if they had any relationship behind the scenes or was it just a brilliant acting.   
“Your childhood friend is pretty good.” Mikasa whispered as the musical started going towards the end.   
“I know right? Armin is more nervous than Levi.” Eren whispered back and still had a simper in his expression. But for now he couldn’t stop thinking about who that blond guy was. Of course, there were dozens of other dancers that were roaming around the stage where the singing actors were staying in their roles, but Eren couldn’t tell on what exactly did caught his eye.   
After the show ended, all the actors, involving main dancers, came into the front of a stage while holding hands and bowed as the audience stood up clapping. Armin seemed to notice his friends in the audience and waved for them while smiling brightly.   
“Thank you, to all of you, for coming into the premiere of our new broadcast. I’m happily announcing that we got two talented young people who graduated the academy not awhile ago.” the same blond dancer spoke into the microphone. “It’s Armin and Levi, the first omega who decided to act and we kindly accepted him. Please give them applause.”  
The audience clapped again, while two main actors stepped forward while wearing white shiny clothes and held fake white rifles.   
“Come with me.” Mikasa stood up, grabbed a bag with gifts and also a banquet with flowers. “Say, that the gift is from you.” she added, gave the bag for Eren and went towards the stage. Of course, not only did Eren forgot about this show, but also about the gifts.   
She congratulated Armin, so did Eren, but kept glancing at Levi, who was talking to that tall blond now. The brunet felt guilty that he didn’t bring any gift for Armin (luckily, his coconut-head guy didn’t realize it) and an extra one for Levi. How he would approach his childhood friend now? It just made Eren feel more nervous - a person is in front of him, yet they can’t talk.   
“Come to the backstage, we’re going to get some drinks, they won’t mind you joining.” Armin waved for both ravenette and her photographer friend. Both of them nodded and followed after the actors into the backstage.  
‘It’s the only chance for you. Eren, don’t fuck everything up.’ the alpha thought to himself and took a deep breath, not leaving the omega out of sight.


	10. another author's note

Hey, long time no see. Is anyone still interested in this fanfiction? Does anyone even want to see more and thinks that this fic is worth not being deleted? I had many problems in real life and now, since the quarantine is happening, I'm still not sure if it's worth continuing :/


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you, boos, for your comments. I didn't reply to everyone, but I read everything and I really appreciate your support with all my heart <3 I'll continue working on this story during my free time

Usually, Eren’s mind was empty with one or two thoughts crossing the sight of his mind, but now he had an inner chaos. He was one of the last people who were walking downstairs to the room where they had a table prepared with snacks and champagne, so he was able to stare at the dark head without getting spotted. He could notice how the actor was walking smoothly, even being outside the stage; his hips moving to the sides, making his light clothes shine in different directions after every step. Eren didn’t see it as a sexual thing, actually. He was just amazed how his old omega friend was acting like… alpha. Even if the actor’s body type was suited for a typical omega, his actions were nothing like that at all.   
“You did well.” Mikasa spoke up and tapped Armin’s shoulder. Poor blond was still so stressed after the performance, that he even twitched after getting touched.  
“Really?” Armin glanced at the girl. “Thank you, I tried hard not to fail those singing parts… Ere, what do you think?”  
“Oh? Uhm, I really liked it, congratulations.” Eren responded and kept his eyes on omega. 

Eren started losing hope to be able to talk to the raven after some time - he was always followed by the same dancer or some journalists would sneak in to take some interviews that he would mostly refuse to participate in. Only after some time, when most of them were going to get the alcohol and the omega was resting on a couch with legs crossed, Eren sat down next to him, still keeping a distance to not make the actor uncomfortable in any way. If he did, he would get in trouble, right?  
“Hey…” Eren muttered and held his breath when the short male’s head turned to him, his blueish gaze moving from a little TV to the brunet next to him.  
The raven didn’t speak up for a while, until he took a deep breath and tilted his head.  
“Have we met before?”  
Eren’s heart shattered after hearing it. Of course, both males didn’t talk for years and changed too much. How can Eren be even mad at him? What if it’s really not his Levi?  
“Eren, clingy angry Carla’s boy, remember?” the brunet leaned forward and tried to crack a little, yet warm smile, even though he didn’t get the same response.  
It took a few seconds before Levi blinked and sat down facing the photographer as if he came back into a realization on who was sitting in front of him.   
“Oh, I didn’t recognise you at first, I apologize.” Levi spoke softer. “You did change a lot in these years. What are you up to?”  
“Just being a photographer, you know me.” Eren smiled a bit brighter. He expected to get his hair ruffled and be hugged tightly like in the past, but he was happy enough with what he got now. It’s his Levi, his Levi recognised him. That’s all that matters for now.   
“I see. I actually noticed you around the other photographers.”  
“You did? How?”  
“You were the only one with a camera who spent more time staring at me than at the screen of your device.”  
Eren looked down in embarrassment, feeling his cheeks and ears getting warmer. He really should have stared creepily and outstandingly if the actor managed to notice him out of hundreds of people, that were drowning in the darkness anyways.  
“Who are you talking to?” the same tall blond walked over and bent down, placing one arm on Levi’s shoulder and holding a glass of champagne with another.   
“It’s my childhood friend Eren, remember those photos I showed you from the carnival?” Levi took the champagne from the other and sipped it.   
“Oh? I couldn’t recognise him at all. I’m Erwin, by the way.” the busty male moved his free hand towards Eren. Erwin had a smile on his face, but it looked more like telling ‘I’m kind but if you go in my way, I’ll kill you’. Eren shook his hand and shifted in his seat uncomfortable.   
“If everything is good, I’ll go to speak to Nanaba.” Erwin stroked the omega’s shoulder.  
“Yes, sure, go.” Levi pushed the blond lightly, making him chuckle and walk away. As two of them were left on the couch, the omega turned his attention back to his friend, who seemed to be feeling awkward. “Don’t worry, he’s not aggressive as long as there’s no danger.” the raven added as he just sipped more of his drink.  
“Ah, I see…” Eren scratched his neck. What should he say now that wouldn’t make him look dumbfuck? Levi seemed not to initiate the conversation but also didn’t look uninterested with an alpha in front of him. He probably must have been just tired. “I’m really proud of you, Levi. As soon as my friend,” he motioned at his female friend standing next to Armin. “showed me a poster with you in it, and I immediately doubted it that it’s you and you must've succeeded in becoming someone you wanted to and someone very special for the omega community.”   
“..Thank you for your words. You should take many credits for encouraging me in elementary school. Without you, I would probably stay in the corner now and be afraid to say no for annoying reporters.”  
Again, it made Eren smile again, but he didn’t get the smile back from Levi. The shorter male did not seem to be angry, but his non-changing facial expressions made him look worried and always drowning in his thoughts.   
As Levi removed his light scarf made out of feathers and rested it on his shoulders, Eren felt his heart beating way faster and mouth getting dry - there was a bite mark on his omega friend’s nape.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm updating when I'm drunk as fuck. I'll probably not even remember that I published the chapter 8D. Anyways, I hope you enjoy a short chapter, the next one will be more spicy, so be aware (shush, I know I'm slow but I'm really a fan of slow burn romance, even in omegaverse)

A bite mark… it did seem to be a deep and old one, followed by several other marks, that were less deep than the one straight on the nape . The one thing was obvious for Eren - his Leelee was taken by an alpha. But by which one, exactly? If omega is in public, the alpha is often around, even if omega uses suppressants. Could it be... Erwin? It’s possible but Eren wouldn’t still be sure about it - they didn’t act like a couple, there were no sweet nicknames, touches and other hints. And any person could bring the champagne to the other, really. Despite other actors and journalists trying to get interviews, Levi seemed to be lonely. He didn’t seem to look happy. And it was eye catching for a photographer, who had to interpret natural expressions in his photos.   
The other thing he noticed was the way they both talked to each other. In the past they would talk non-stop, their conversations easily trailing from their favorite blueberry jam to the newest Scooby-Doo episode. But now they were shifting in their seats awkwardly, barely finding a topic to talk about. Friendships seemed to be temporary things. Often best friends would turn to simple mutuals as they grow up.  
And that is what Eren learnt - life is not a fairytale. When two best friends, that were seperated for years, come back to them together, they wouldn’t jump into each other’s arms or end up falling in love at first sight and then start making out. It was an utopian idea, just a dream, a beautiful plot scenario that would barely come true in real life.  
“Levi?” the brunet spoke up, his face forming a little frown, which confused the other.  
“Everytime you call my full name and not Leelee like before, you sound like you’re angry at me.” the omega lowered his hand that he held the glass with. “What’s wrong?”   
“I…” Eren wasn’t sure if it’s right to ask about it. “Sorry if it’s very personal, but… do you have an alpha mate?”  
Levi froze and moved his arm up incautiously, then touching his nape with his fingers, trailing them through every part of a bite mark. The photographer started feeling guilty for asking such a thing - was it a private subject? The smaller male seemed to get more and more uncomfortable with Eren’s appearance every second, making the alpha feel panic raising in his chest.  
But why? Was it because Levi didn’t feel well after hearing it or because he was taken?   
“..Yes, I do.” the omega answered slowly after a short pause, shifting into the opposite direction of Eren incautiously.   
“Who?”  
“Does it really matter?” Levi lowered his voice. Oh shit, he’s mad, Eren thought, but it was too late to get his words back. “We meet after a decade and that’s the first thing you ask me?”  
“I’m sorry.” Eren lowered his head like a guilty puppy that teared up the pillow.  
The actor moved the glass up and chugged all the champagne in one second. He then asked a random person to bring vodka and only then turned back to look at the other.   
“It’s alright, I overreacted. Trying to look perfect on stage for two hours was a challenge for a noob like me. My mate is Erwin, that guy with bushy eyebrows. We mated for two months or so.”  
Eren's eyes trailed to where Levi had pointed at in the room. It was the director, the same man with a stern look and who brought the champagne for Levi, his mate.   
“Ah, I see, I wish you best of happiness for you two.” Eren forced a smile and when he saw Levi chugging vodka with one try, he felt like he wanted to drink as well. His heart that was shaking in his chest was annoying him. “Hey, Lee, would you want to see the photos from your performance? You looked amazing.”  
“Sure.”   
Eren turned the camera on and started showing the photos one by another, glancing at the other. Levi scooted closer and leant towards the camera as if the awkward conversation didn’t happen just a few moments ago. The curious omega ended up blocking the view for the other, making Eren only have Levi’s dusky hair in his sight. Eren beamed softly at the sight and took a deep breath, soaking all the scents into his lungs incautiously. The same soft vanilla scent that he recognised before, that was slightly mixed with alpha's scent - leather and ashes. Erwin must have marked Levi before the show.  
“I really like your photos, Eren.” The omega spoke up after seeing dozens of photos and looking up at the other. Their faces were so close, making the brunet feel his cheeks heating up. Levi didn't seem to react to it. “Do you work for a magazine?”  
“Ah, no, I'm a freelancer. Getting some money by making personal photo sessions for individual people or couples.” he didn't move from his position, even though their faces were uncomfortably close.  
“I see.” Levi turned his gaze back to the camera. “If you want to work for a company, I can arrange it.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah. Erwin has many mutuals with magazines and newspaper publishers. You can even sell these photos for a good amount of money already, you know.”  
“Thank you, I really appreciate it.”  
“I'm honest. Any company would hire you, your works are literally worth hundreds.”  
“Well, your performances are worth thousands.”  
“Cheesy.” Levi’s lips didn’t curve into a smile but he bit it lightly instead. That was enough to make Eren feel way happier - his omega friend was getting more comfortable. And he was aiming for that at all costs. 

After the exchange of compliments, they were starting to get back into a normal conversation. They were talking about university, their professions, friends, anything that wasn’t related to all the alpha-omega dynamics. One of the things that Eren noticed was the fact that his friend avoided any questions about his mother.   
Another thing that didn’t leave his mind, was the bitemarks. Usually, when alpha decides to mark his mate, he or she leaves one visible mark on the nape, that is deep enough to show the others about claiming that person. But Levi’s nape was full of painfully-looking marks, making Eren wonder what has actually happened. Something wasn’t right, that’s for sure.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really bad at writing flashbacks and it was one of the hardest chapters to write lol. Warning: it has attempted sexual assault, so be aware. Also, cursing.  
((I just realized, that this chapter has minor references to No Regrets OVA))

The bite marks were telling a story. A sad fate of the lowest rank of society. Showing that even if he had strength to fight, he was always overthrown by higher ranks. 

Levi couldn’t forget That day in any way. And it happened only a few months ago, when he was heading towards the theater. The morning was gloomy and rainy, leaving many puddles on the pavements, making it hard to not get the shoes soaked. Not only the rain was annoying but also the wind, that would make people’s faces get hit by raindrops, even if they carried umbrellas to cover themselves with.  
Levi’s heart was pounding. It wasn’t his heat, but it was near, making him still have an attractive smell that could soothe not only the alphas, but even betas, who could be thirsty for the taste of omega’s skin. He wasn’t provided with injections anymore, since he was an adult; even the suppressants had barely hid the luring smell.   
The male had finally gone near the theater and tried to open the glass doors of the main entrance, but it was locked.  
“Shit, I came too soon.” Levi mumbled to himself and looked around, trying to spot any other actors around. Nobody. Nobody was around.   
At least the short male thought so.   
As he breathed in the air that was bothered by a wind, he could scent people around. But none of them were familiar. And now the strangers could sense him too. The omega carried on looking for the entrance, this time in the smaller street by the side of the building. The doors were locked there as well. That’s no good.  
“What are you doing, cutie? Did you forget to hide your little ass during heat?” he heard a cocky tone of someone in the entrance of a hallway.   
Levi cursed in his mind, but tried to maintain the calm expression as if the stranger didn’t bother him and started searching for his phone. His hands were shaking as he saw the person approaching him slowly, with a visible wide grin on his face.  
Not only did it make Levi regret the fact that he didn’t have any suppressants or ask for someone to take him into this place, but also the fact that he didn’t bring the taser or anything else that would help to shoo aggressive people away.  
“Fuck off.” Levi mumbled and clinched his fists after realizing that his old phone was soaked wet and stopped working.   
“Oh? I didn’t know you could talk. So you’re a theater guy? The little one who got hired, because they felt bad for you?” The beta walked dangerously close and, seeing it as a red flag, the raven immediately turned around and was about to just run where his legs carried him, but the creepy man sprinted after the omega and jumped on him making him fall down straight into the puddle.   
“Let go, you motherfucker.” Levi growled and struggled, but it seemed to get the man on his back even more excited.   
“Such an innocent kid with the skin of a virgin. Of course you’re not going anywhere. And you’re not going to shout.” the beta snickered, exposing Levi’s nape, then moving one arm to cover Levi’s mouth with, the other trailing on his ass.   
The raven was frozen and couldn’t move, but once he felt how the creepy man’s teeth started sinking in his nape, he felt a sudden wave of adrenaline - he bit the man’s palm as hard as he could, started standing up, making the other fall down. The shorter male immediately stood up and started backing away, not letting the other away from his sight.   
“Son of a bitch.” the man cursed and grabbed his arm as he was standing up, but once his eyes shifted to the omega’s direction, his eyes widened and he stopped moving.   
Levi was too tensed up to even realize what happened or try to turn around and run. Someone approached him from behind as fast as light and sunk their teeth into his nape, so hard that it made poor omega gasp for air and feel as if his head is going to get ripped off.   
That’s why it was that beta staring as if he saw a ghost.  
The person who just marked an omega was alpha.   
The alpha behind Levi was saying something to the creep in front of them, making him flee off the hallway, but the raven’s thoughts were louder than the husky voice behind him. He was bonded. He was bonded against his will not even during heat. Bonded reluctantly, even when he tried to save his smooth skin on the nape for someone special.   
His cleanfreak mind didn’t even care that he was all soaked in dirty water from the puddle and disappointment.   
As the omega finally dared to look back, he realized that it’s Erwin, his director, the same tall and calm man that gave Levi a chance to try seeking for the profession that was illegal to him. The same man who had to unlock the doors of a theater earlier than expected.   
“What the fuck have you done?!” Levi snapped and teared up, then turning around completely and trying to grab Erwin’s collar but the alpha stopped him by grabbing his wrist. “Get your hand off of me. So you were planning this moment for a whole time?!”  
“Not at all. I did what I needed to do to protect you.” the blond replied in a calm voice, even though the other male in front of him seemed to try grabbing his neck to possibly choke him.   
“You could have just shoo him away instead of acting like a moron. Of course, you’re a fucking alpha, you can do what you want, even have a harem of omegas and noone would give a shit about it.” Levi seemed to get raging more and more but the other had pulled him closer and started wiping the blood off the bite mark.   
“Levi, I knew that sooner or later this situation could have happened and these kinds of accidents would have happened more often on the stage.” the theater director talked, watching how the mixture of blood and rainwater was mixing up together in the deep bite mark grooves. “I watched you for awhile. You did everything to get where you are now - be able to act. But this goal has a high price and you must have sacrificed something in return, even if you either liked it or not.” when he felt that Levi stopped trying to fight, the man got his coat off and put it on the other, also taking the keys out and moving towards the doors. “I don’t think that many things will change now, I won’t force you to obey me or bite me back. Just trust me and live with the fact that you had to give me your freedom to get the career you always wanted, Levi.”

But, after months have passed, it looked like their strange relationship changed and Levi didn’t seem cold around his mate anymore - the blond had a bite mark on his nape as well.


End file.
